MATTHEW LESSON 52
We will begin this lesson in Matthew 25:14 "For [the kingdom of
heaven is] as a man travelling into a far country, [who] called his
own servants, and delivered unto them his goods."
Here, the master is going on a trip and He had called his servants
together to take care of the kingdom until he returned. You see, Jesus
has gone away into heaven, and is now sitting at the right hand of God.
He has left His church in the care of His ministers (servants) until
He returns.
Matthew 25:15 "And unto one he gave five talents, to another two,
and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and
straightway took his journey."
The very first thing that we must note about this, is that they
were given talents according to their ability to handle money. Some
people cannot handle large sums of money. God cannot trust some people
with money. God knows where their ability lies. The problem is not to
have money, the problem lies in what you do with it. This Scripture is
not only in having money, but in the spiritual sense, is speaking of
the congregations of the people God entrusts to the pastors. Some have
large congregations, some medium, some have very few.
Matthew 25:16 "Then he that had received the five talents went
and traded with the same, and made [them] other five talents." Matthew
25:17 "And likewise he that [had received] two, he also gained other
two." Matthew 25:18 "But he that had received one went and digged in
the earth, and hid his lord's money."
The original word that this "talent" was taken from, means a sum
of money. A talent was the largest weight mentioned in money of the
Hebrews. Whether it was gold or silver, even one talent was a goodly
sum of money. The fellow who received the five talents had enough
faith, that he went and made another five talents to go with the five
that he had been entrusted with. The same happened to the one who had
received two. He doubled his, also. Any master in the world would be
pleased with these two servants. They were not fearful. Fear is not of
God. They had faith, and did what they had, probably, already been doing
when their master was handling the money; and so, they increased what
the master had entrusted them with. The servant, who received just one
talent, had, probably, already shown his master that he was fearful and
had no faith.
This money hidden in the ground was of no use to anyone. Just as
it is today. For God to be pleased about our finances, we must be
using them to gain for Him. We must not hoard them up just for
ourselves. Riches are to be used not abused. If you are blessed of God
and have a little more than your neighbor, you must be quick to
distribute as we read in I Timothy 6:17 "Charge them that are rich in
this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain
riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to
enjoy;" I Timothy 6:18 "That they do good, that they be rich in good
works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;" I Timothy 6:19
"Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time
to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."
You see, it is not the riches that are evil. It is our attitude
toward the riches and what we do with them.
Matthew 25:19 "After a long time the lord of those servants
cometh, and reckoneth with them." Matthew 25:20 "And so he that had
received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying,
Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained
beside them five talents more." Matthew 25:21 "His lord said unto him,
Well done, [thou] good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou
into the joy of thy lord."
You see, we all know it has been a long time since our Master
came and checked on us, close to 2,000 years. There is going to be a
day of reckoning. A day will come when we and our works will be judged
of Jesus. Just the fact that we belong to Him will get us into heaven.
Our faithfulness to the task that He has left us to do will determine
what we will do when we reign with Him here on earth.
Life is pretty much like a monopoly game. Some people get Baltic
and Mediterranean, and others get Boardwalk and Park Place. You can be
a winner just as easily with Baltic, as you can with Boardwalk. It is
how you play the game that is important.
These men trusted God and worked, and tried, and they were
rewarded for their faithfulness and hard work. God is a rewarder of
those who seek to please Him.
Matthew 25:22 "He also that had received two talents came and
said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have
gained two other talents beside them." Matthew 25:23 "His lord said
unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been
faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:
enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
Notice, here, that his lord was just as pleased with his four as he
was with the other servants ten. To whom much is given, much is
required. His faith was just as great as the other servant, he just
had less to work with. The reward was the same, because he had worked
hard and was faithful and did what he could do with what he had been
entrusted with. You see, again, this servant was not concerned with the
fact that the other servant had more than he did. He just did his best
with what he had. His Lord was pleased the same as God will be pleased
with us, if we do the very best we can with what we have to work with
(through faith). It is just like this Bible study, there are many who
could do a better job writing it, but I am willing to write it. God
will help me, because of my willingness to do the best I can.
Matthew 25:24 "Then he which had received the one talent came and
said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou
hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:" Matthew
25:25 "And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo,
[there] thou hast [that is] thine." Matthew 25:26 "His lord answered
and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest
that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:"
Matthew 25:27 "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the
exchangers, and [then] at my coming I should have received mine own
with usury." Matthew 25:28 "Take therefore the talent from him, and
give [it] unto him which hath ten talents."
The Lord of this servant was very angry with him. He called him
just what he was, wicked and lazy. When the Lord comes back, He wants
to find us working for him. These people that say God has told them
not to do anything, are in for a wide awakening. The Bible says no
work no eat, II Thess. 3:10. Also, Hebrews 6:12 "That ye be not
slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit
the promises." Work never hurt anyone. When Jesus comes back, we must
be found working, not sitting around wringing our hands in fear. Some
are so afraid they will do something wrong, that they are not doing
anything at all. FEAR IS NOT OF GOD.
In the story above, this man's lord told him that it did no good
hidden in the ground. If nothing else, he could have drawn interest on
it at the bank. The man was not trustworthy, so his lord took this
talent from him and gave it to someone who put it to use. Now, the five
talent man had eleven, because of his faithfulness.
Matthew 25:29 "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and
he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken
away even that which he hath." Matthew 25:30 "And cast ye the
unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth."
You see, poverty does not insure you that you will go to heaven.
Neither does the fact that you have money insure you that you will go
to hell. Many believe just this. The parable of the talents prove how
much in error this is. It not how much you have that counts; it is
what you do with what you have. God has no respect for the faithless.
Faith in Jesus Christ is what saves us. Without faith, it is impossible
to please God. You can easily see what happens to those who have no
faith in the 30th verse above. They are cast into hell; the place of
torment.
What can we retain from all of this?
#1. Have faith in God.
#2. Use whatever God has entrusted to you to the very best of
your ability. Do whatever you do in His will.
#3. Do not be lazy. Do what you can.
#4. There will be great rewards for those who have faith in
God and work to bring others into the kingdom of God.
We will begin the next lesson with verse 31.
Matthew Questions 52
1. In this parable, what is the kingdom of heaven likened unto?
2. When the man left, who did he leave his goods with?
3. Compare this to the Christians?
4. How many talents did he give each servant?
5. Why did he give them different amounts?
6. The problem with money is not having it, but in what?
7. From a spiritual standpoint, what is another message here?
8. What did the servant do that had five talents?
9. What did the servant that had two do?
10. What does "talent" mean?
11. Why would their master be pleased?
12. For God to be pleased with our finances (whatever they are), what
must we be doing with them?
13. What is a requirement, if we have been blessed with money, if we
intend to please God? Four things.
14. What makes having money evil?
15. What did the lord of these servants say to the one with the five
talents and to the one with two talents?
16. Just our faith in Jesus will get us to heaven, but what will
determine what we will do when we reign with Him?
17. What game is life very similar to?
18. What difference was made between the man with ten and the man with
four talents?
19. What description of the lord did the man with one talent give?
20. What did the man with one talent do with it?
21. What description did his lord have of him? Two things.
22. What did his lord say the least thing he could have done was?
23. What did his lord do with his one talent?
24. Where did he cast this unfaithful servant?
25. What mistaken information do many have about poverty? About being
rich?
26. It is not how much you have, but what you ________ _______.
27. Without what, it is impossible to please God?
28. What four things should we retain from all of this?
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